New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-20

No. 10, IL was the z0m0tS. i WASH aecep-1
was wide awake. And 1t came into the room ana
stood quite clOe by the bed and it made faces at
me like monkey. and then shook its fist so
crod to Cecilia, and she camo quickly to me, and
when she saw the combs she fell on her knees before
it and heard her say, % Papaloi. do not hurt the
child And when she said that screamed louder.
and the combs ran ont of the r"Om.'
| AS he spoke the negress drew near the bed. and.
trembling while the tears rolled down her cheeks,
told them that little master had had nightmare,
for If any ono had entered the room she mist have
seen l.. un less indeed it was really a sombis. in
which it would be invisib to her, as none OF
| her tribe ever able TO have any intercourse
! with devils or spirits This rather confused OK
| PLANTATION did not satisfy NJ. Levassenr. whose
passion was now fully aroused by, this second at
tempt to brighten his child, and he ordered that
Francois ahonld he brought before him at an early
! hour the following morning The harshest threats.
however. fai ed to make the negro confess his sup;
posed guilt. and the planter directed that he should
lie logged again Two of the most brutslzie! of the
slaves who held some petty authority over tho
other ne groes the estate carried ont this order,
and the chastsement this time was so severe that
Francois only fingered few hours. and was hastily
buried that night BIZ his two execnticners 10 was
rumOred among the negroes that a short time before
his death he bad SAID that lie would soon be
avenged and that rs his master had TINS crncily
deprived him Of his life. so he solcnnly summoned
that masters children to follow him into the neither
world.
BY II. Lavasscur's command his death was hidden
from Adele and her brother; Int tho slaves whi'-
pered among themselves that his spirit mad been
by the acacia, and noIe than once by the glass
door the veraniah that led into Florian's room:
These rumors not allowed to reach the ears OF
their master his children. but circumstance
which happened fortnight after his death gave
importance to the story.
Ii CHANGED that one afternoon Florian had strayed
further than usual from his home for IA before re,
marked, the boy was under no control and did
| what he liked The neat v as fierce. and hot and
tipn, and at last reached "A wood which ran no the
spur of the mountain the shade and silence were
intense. and. overcome with fatigue, the child sank
down under q large mahogany tree, deciding not 10
return to his home till the suns rays were less
powerful He IN that balfunconscous state
which precedes sleep when, suddenly aware of some
presence. he started mp, and standing some dis
tance off in the deep shade Of the wood ha'ihdien
by the luxuriant underground. figure wlicn he ut
once thought he recognized. Ii seemed TO heckou
to him, and glad To meet one whom he knew. and
whD coud pick him some OF the ten ping iTillt That
grew many of the trees, he ran toward TIE spot
where 1t stood. Ey tho time, however, that he
reached tho place ii had moved further away, but
basket such as the negroes used, full OF bnnanas
was under the tree. and Fl0ran, concluding that he
was invited to help himself eagerly took np one OF
the fruit. When he had finished IL no looked round
! for the figure. 1t had gene and tue boy was ABOUT
to return TO the mahogany free. when MS eyes
caught sight of negro lurking behind It, and rec
ognizng the malignant face which had scowied at
hn on two previous occasions. b. took to his heels
and ran away fast as he coull lie was soon ont
of the wood and Fastening along the PLAN. met his
father who CHANGED to be riding in that direction,
| aud In a few minutes told HIM lis story. AZ irSt
NJ. Levasseur was inclined 10 return and search the
| wood but on second reflection knew that by doing
| so no would be nearer discovering the truth OF
| the tale, as the negro no doubt had by that time
|
boy before him on the horse he rode home full OF
anxious and angry thoughts.
Twas not afraid at first, said Florlan as they
drew up before the house aud three or four slaves
came running out to holp mqre AMI ut matte dig
| and little master) to alight. was not afraid.
because it was Francois saw far in the wood lie
beckoncl to me and went AMI found tho fruit
I" llHsh.' said his father almost nngrily. ns the
servants months AMI Dyes opened wide and they
gazed eagerly at the boy. shall begin to think
you are telling untruthS if you repeat such strange
The boy looScd with some astonshment at him
Ii il not lie he said. coloriug. i saw the combs
and saw Francois lie was far OFT IN the trees
among the shadows, but the somb g. was near,
| will not have you tell these silly stories" said
the planter stcrnly. Here. Lubin, take your htlo
master in TO Ceciic.'
The sla 70 oboyod while the other negroes cx-
changed Chances and in less than twenty minutes
| Florisn's ad, enture with some additions was
known al over the estate
month went by. and nothing further of import
ancc occurred till one morning as tho planter aud bis
daughter returning from a ball IN fort-au-
Prince. They wore driving mp the shady avenue
that lei TO the house. when they saw one of the
wants hurrying toward them. Something in the
mans appearance seemed 10 say that he was tho
bearer Of evil tdings. and both u. Le7assours ana
Adeles fears were reused when on sering Thorn he
clasped his hands together and made gestures indi
eating agitation and alarm. Their worst apprehcn-
sions were moro than realized when the slave STAN
mered out his terrible news Floran. whom they
had left in perfect health few hours before, was
dangerously ILL., and the servants. dismlyed at the
strange syfnptoms developed had sent for the near
est doctor who, on his arrival, had pronounced tho
case hopeless. The boys illness had commenced
! with headache and dizziness, which hal been io-
lowed by the loss Of the use OF his limbs and finally
| the power of speech, since which he hal lain IN
state of nnconsciousness, and it wasnow feared that
| he was rapidly breathing his last. The doctor
| whom the sers ants had thus hastily summoned wa,
| an ignorant unskiiful man. but IL had been soon
| clear that not even the best medical advice could
save the child's life. Appalled, at the suddenness OF
the blow, and in an anguish OF grief, inc distracted
| father and daughter hastened toward the house
| and in a few minutes were by Florlans bedside. All
that the servants had sand was bnt too true and
| the boy lay like one already dead in Ceciles arms
The doctor who was still present stated that he
| had had snnstroke and only replied by silence
and a plying glance to the fathers agohized en-
treaties to do what he could to restore conscious
Adele flung herself by tho child's side and wept in
all the bitterness OF new and terrible sorrow
while the negroes walled In n low, piantive tone
over her little charge whose young lifo was passing
so swiftly away 4. Levasseur's grief took less
violent form, and ne paced up and down the room
| speechless with sorrow, now ana then pauslng 10
cast a look Of anguish upon his dying child
Shortly before o. m life was declared extinct
and the servants led their halfstupehed young mis-
TT II was noticed by some of the slaves as they
helped the planter to place the child in his coffin
that his limbs had mono OF the rigidlty OF DEATH
| and that his expression Tescmbled that OF one
asleep; but their masters silent and terrible grief
excited their fears and not one amongst them felt
| that he dared venture to address him. The funeral
took place that evening Bat few people attended
we'll as the bitter feuds among the co onsts them
selves prevented many Of the pl anters from paying
that respect TO NJ. Levasseurs child which the
| planters position in the island would otherwise
| have demanded
After the funeral over Adele went Into the
| boys bedroom and,in paroxysm OF anguish, Hung
herself on his bed, where she lay forgotten and
disturbed by the rest of the household. Overcome
by grief and exhaustion. she at length fell into
| a deep sleep, from which she awoke about mid
night, and. for a moment forgetting what had
happened, called her brother by his name On
receiving no reply. she sprang up, and. as she
looked anxiously around. the recollection Of his
death burst upon her with distressing clearnes,
Uttering low cry, she ran OUT OF the room anu,
Into the verandnh Her cry reused Cece, who
was sleeping In tho next room; alarmed at the
sound she Instantly rose and followed her mistress
| The negress paused when she reached the salon.